About degrowth conferences

Apart from being a space for scholarly debates on degrowth, degrowth conferences aim at promoting cooperation of different groups in the development of scientific, social and political proposals towards ecologically sustainable and socially just transformation.

Combining solid scholarly, activist and artistic programmes, degrowth conferences has a city festival atmosphere, involving many local and international groups.

This page provides information about future and earlier conferences.

Three degrowth conferences in 2018

Three Degrowth Conferences took place in 2018: Sweden, Mexico and the European Parliament.

1) 6th International Degrowth Conference for Ecological Sustainability and Social Equity: Dialogues in turbulent timesWhere: Malmö (Sweden)When: 21-25 August 2018

This conference aims at expanding the geographical and thematic scope of degrowth discussions, as well as building dialogues with critical social theories, sciences and social movements. Malmö is a perfect city to host such a conference. Vibrant and mixed, but also relaxed and down-to-earth, it has a strong presence of alternative forms of organising and a varied cultural and grassroots life. We want this conference to further consolidate these and act as a platform for mutually enriching dialogues among groups from around the globe striving for a better world.

Parallel to the 6th International Degrowth Conference, two complementary and twin events will take place:

2) The First North-South Conference on Degrowth: Decolonizing the social imaginaryWhere: Mexico City (Mexico)When: 4-6 September 2018

EN: The First North-South Conference on Degrowth will be held in Mexico City, supported by universities, NGOs, and social movements. It will be an occasion to open and continue in-depth debates around the dominant illusions on economic growth. These are already ongoing debates inside and across the societies that are on their way to become modern and developed as well as those 'excelling' in these aspects. For the first time, a Latin American country will host an international gathering on Degrowth, after five conferences in Europe and one in Canada. Decolonization of the imaginary, Survival, Cultures, and Wealth will be the main issues under discussion.

A post-growth conference supported by various stakeholders (Members of the European Parliament from different political groups, academics, NGOs and unions) will take place in the premises of the European Parliament on September 18-19 2018, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the collapse of the US Bank Lehman Brothers that sparked the economic crisis in which we are still trapped.Given its central location close to the heart of the European Union decision-making, the conference will offer a unique opportunity for the EU civil society to confront their views with those of EU officials and staff that defines the core of the economic model and political priorities. Considering that the latter are not compatible with a fair and ecological transformation of our societies, workshops will address the theoretical design of models used to frame the European economy, the relevance and feasibility of basic income schemes, the ultimate goal of the internal market and the environmental consequences of technological progress. The aim of these days - about one year before the next European elections and the nomination of a new Commission - will be to create a cultural contagion effect by which the thinking of policy makers will tilt towards genuine sustainability.The work will be preceded by a preparatory session at the Université Libre de Bruxelles and followed by a debriefing and exchanges on how to coalesce allies to ensure that change will actually happen.

History of degrowth conferences

The following international degrowth conferences have been organised so far:

2nd international conference in Barcelona (2010) hosted by the Autonomous University of Barcelona. It has been focusing on further development of clear policy proposals and strategies for action on degrowth and on the definitions of the key open questions and research agenda, with more than 400 researchers from 40 countries.

Conference of the Americas in Montreal (2012)hosted by the Université de Montréal, McGill University,Université du Québec à Montréal, HEC Montreal and Concordia University) with 340 academics, activitsts and environmentalists, focusing on the particular situations and dynamics of the Americas.

4th international conference in Leipzig (2014) at the University of Leipzig with almost 3000 people, hosted by Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie, Förderverein Wachstumswende e.V., DFG-Research Group ‘Postwachstumsgesellschaften’ at the University of Jena.

5th international conference in Budapest (2016) at Corvinus University with more than 600 people taking part in the conference and thousands of people in the Degrowth Week taking place parallel to it strengthening global and local collaboration.